100 Movies to See Before You Die: The Modern Classics It's easy for classic movie lovers to be nostalgic for Hollywood's "Golden Age" of the 1930s and '40s. And many cineastes will tell you that film as an art reached its peak in the late '60s and early '70s. But the truth is there have been remarkable movies made in the 1990s and 2000s. From big budget blockbusters, to breakout independent films, to discoveries from around the world, we have seen exciting and groundbreaking cinematic work created in the last two decades...

Feel free to die without seeing most of those, you won't be missing much. I mean, I enjoyed INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, AVATAR, THELMA & LOUISE, but I wouldn't consider any of them absolutely essential viewing.

Then again, that's exactly the response you would expect to one of these lists. They thrive off inviting disagreement.

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"The basic plot is that Donna Speir and Hope Marie Carlton, the two undercover DEA agent Playboy Playmates from the last movie, are still running around in jungle shorts, cowboy boots and spaghetti strap T-shirts, firing their machine guns at drug smugglers, Filipino communist guerrillas, and corrupt federal agents while their two friends, Lisa London and Miss May 1984 Patty Duffek, lounge around the pool a lot and talk on speaker phones that look like fax machines."-Joe Bob on SAVAGE BEACH

I particularly like their listing of Supercop. The major reason it's there, of course, is that it got a big US release and it's probably the most explosive-filled of Chan's films. But, Chan has better films. As far as action goes, Legend Of Drunken Master is clearly superior, in both quantity and quality. I think Gorgeous is more enjoyable, though I'm in a small minority there.

Likewise, they've got two Wong Kar-Wai films and Hard-Boiled. I realize lists like this can only show HK films that got mainstream western releases, but it's still kind of annoying. As far as 1990 on, Bullet in the Head is a superior film to Hard-Boiled. Hard-Boiled is admittedly technically pretty damn incredible though, especially when you give pause and consider its budget: $4.5 million.

Likewise, the listing of Ghost in the Shell sticks out as a "we watch anime!" kind of addition. Not saying it isn't good, though. It's just slightly irritating how lists like these always try to throw in a few oddball films from East Asia, but the only things they ever include are the most obvious choices. The implication is films that don't get brought over here aren't worth seeing.

It's really pointless to argue on this sort of thing, but it's kind of fun anyway.

Feel free to die without seeing most of those, you won't be missing much. I mean, I enjoyed INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, AVATAR, THELMA & LOUISE, but I wouldn't consider any of them absolutely essential viewing. Then again, that's exactly the response you would expect to one of these lists. They thrive off inviting disagreement.

I could skip the other two, but to me, THELMA & LOUISE is essential viewing. I do think a few of the entries are essential, but not many. We can agree to the extent that no "viewing" is "absolutely essential".

Of course nothing is absolutely essential. Many of those movies seem to be on there just because a lot of people have seen them, so they are something you can discuss with almost anyone and they'll know what you're talking about. Others are on there, as Jim H points out, to represent particular genres (HK action, anime).

I'd say SCHINDLER'S LIST, PAN'S LABYRINTH and LORD OF THE RINGS are the must-sees on that list.

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"The basic plot is that Donna Speir and Hope Marie Carlton, the two undercover DEA agent Playboy Playmates from the last movie, are still running around in jungle shorts, cowboy boots and spaghetti strap T-shirts, firing their machine guns at drug smugglers, Filipino communist guerrillas, and corrupt federal agents while their two friends, Lisa London and Miss May 1984 Patty Duffek, lounge around the pool a lot and talk on speaker phones that look like fax machines."-Joe Bob on SAVAGE BEACH

Of course nothing is absolutely essential. Many of those movies seem to be on there just because a lot of people have seen them, so they are something you can discuss with almost anyone and they'll know what you're talking about. Others are on there, as Jim H points out, to represent particular genres (HK action, anime). I'd say SCHINDLER'S LIST, PAN'S LABYRINTH and LORD OF THE RINGS are the must-sees on that list.

I agree with those except maybe RINGS unless you are adamant about just the 1st film only, plus GOODFELLAS, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, RAISE THE RED LANTERN, THE PLAYER, GROUNDHOG DAY, ED WOOD, SCREAM, and THE SIXTH SENSE which I'd say are all "essential" viewing.

Of course nothing is absolutely essential. Many of those movies seem to be on there just because a lot of people have seen them, so they are something you can discuss with almost anyone and they'll know what you're talking about. Others are on there, as Jim H points out, to represent particular genres (HK action, anime). I'd say SCHINDLER'S LIST, PAN'S LABYRINTH and LORD OF THE RINGS are the must-sees on that list.

I agree with those except maybe RINGS unless you are adamant about just the 1st film only, plus GOODFELLAS, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, RAISE THE RED LANTERN, THE PLAYER, GROUNDHOG DAY, ED WOOD, SCREAM, and THE SIXTH SENSE which I'd say are all "essential" viewing.

"Essential" is such a difficult word... I don't think there are any bad movies on that list, but I wonder if, to me, there even are 100 must-see films in movie history.

I would consider RINGS as one movie, I'd recommend seeing all three. GOODFELLAS was good, but I always thought it was a bit overrated. To me THE GODFATHER is the only "essential" gangster flick. The other ones you mention are all good to great films.

Making a lits of 100 "must see" movies of any type is difficult. It would be much easier to come up with a list of must see sci-fi films, horror movies, or bad movies. Those kinds of must-see lists always seem to be dominated by middlebrow dramas and popular comedies from Hollywood studios, with only a smattering of stuff from other genres. Obviously, someone who's a fan of fantastic cinema like me would make a very different list, but I wouldn't claim that my list would fit most people.

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"The basic plot is that Donna Speir and Hope Marie Carlton, the two undercover DEA agent Playboy Playmates from the last movie, are still running around in jungle shorts, cowboy boots and spaghetti strap T-shirts, firing their machine guns at drug smugglers, Filipino communist guerrillas, and corrupt federal agents while their two friends, Lisa London and Miss May 1984 Patty Duffek, lounge around the pool a lot and talk on speaker phones that look like fax machines."-Joe Bob on SAVAGE BEACH

No one's going to read your VERY LONG LIST, I assure you. Particularly because the topic of this thread is a news item, The Modern Classics (y'know, with a link to the news item that you are supposed to at least take a cursory glance at) not what you think are 100 Movies to See Before You Die.

No one's going to read your VERY LONG LIST, I assure you. Particularly because the topic of this thread is a news item, The Modern Classics (y'know, with a link to the news item that you are supposed to at least take a cursory glance at) not what you think are 100 Movies to See Before You Die.

O. K. just skip it, but it was a nice treat to think of the best movies, I came across. Some time You should just to sit still and remember all the good stuff.

You mean...I have to watch Thelma and Louise and Groundhog Day? *whimper*!

That's a shame, Newt. THELMA AND LOUISE is a very direct statement about sex roles and feminism. And I was not expecting to even likeGROUNDHOG DAY, but, I've grown to love that film. So there.

If it were anyone but you who had said it, AHD, I would not be considering making an effort to see them! 'So there' back!

(Groundhog Day eh? A run to the Beer Store might be in order.)

I've got to agree with AHD, GROUNDHOG DAY is great! THELMA AND LOUISE... well, it won't kill you to see it...

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"The basic plot is that Donna Speir and Hope Marie Carlton, the two undercover DEA agent Playboy Playmates from the last movie, are still running around in jungle shorts, cowboy boots and spaghetti strap T-shirts, firing their machine guns at drug smugglers, Filipino communist guerrillas, and corrupt federal agents while their two friends, Lisa London and Miss May 1984 Patty Duffek, lounge around the pool a lot and talk on speaker phones that look like fax machines."-Joe Bob on SAVAGE BEACH